Will you obey? If God speaks to you, will you know and recognize His voice? Are you familiar with it? And when He does speak, even if the message that He gives to you is counter to what will be well received by those around you, will you still speak it? Will you choose to be obedient to God over being popular or well-liked by people?
This is the call that is placed upon those with whom God speaks. My guess is that most of us would say that we want God to speak to us. We desire to hear His voice. We long for it. Crave it. And yet, when God speaks to us, we would like to control whatever message we hear from Him. We don’t want God to give us a message that is going to stir the pot. We don’t want God to give us a message that will be unpopular. We don’t want God to give us a message that will make us or others directly tied to us uncomfortable. Or worse yet, angry.
We want and even somehow believe that we can be godly men and women who can be both obedient to God’s correction and truth without being willing to actually be the one responsible for sharing that truth with others. Right? Wouldn’t it be nice if we let someone else be “that guy?” If we could just let someone else be the one that had to give the words of correction then we could still be well-liked… but where does that put us? Off the path of God – likely. In the dark – probably. Living for self instead of living a life set apart for God – for sure.
Look, there is a reason we struggle here. It is the same battle that we face time and time again in the length of time that we are given to walk on the soil of this earth. Will we choose sin and self or will we choose obedience and God’s truth? Will we choose what will shackle us and comes with only negative consequences or will we choose that which will set us free and bring upon us the positive consequences of God in the form of His blessings?
We know the state of the hearts of man. We know that this world and this nation are on a swinging pendulum of self-awareness and independence. Culturally there has been a decision made that God’s laws are outdated and don’t work for us or are too restrictive. Culturally we don’t want to step on anyone’s toes. The message is: “You do you. I don’t want to say anything is wrong. Everything goes. As long as you feel good about it, I need to respect that.” The problem with this mentality is your doing whatever you want overlaps with my doing what I want. You cannot abort a baby that I believe deserves a right to live and both of us feel good about it. There’s an overlap.
There must then, be absolute truth. But here’s the thing – no one apart from someone holy – someone who can see and know all things – who holds the supreme perspective can dictate what truth is. Right? Who exists that can meet that bill? Who holds the ability to determine such things? It cannot be man. Man is sinful and selfish. Man is easily swayed and his thoughts are twisted. Man does not have the sight or mental capacity.
Jesus can. He is a man – so he understood what it was like to live and move and breathe here on earth. He understood what our trials and needs feel and look like. He was relatable. Yet He was without sin. Why? Because although He was a man – He was also God. God the Father was seen through His holy son.
In 2 Timothy 4:3-4 times like ours are prophecied about. “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.”
Friend, I cannot know the word of God, receive messages from Him today, and still accept the popular opinion that “you should do you.” That concept will never run parallel to the truth that comes from God. Man’s truth may sound good and right, accepting and kind, but it is not good. It is a path that leads to destruction, long-lasting consequences, and separation from God. It is only by following and recognizing that God’s laws and rules aren’t meant to hurt us or steal from us our rights or rewards – they are what bring them! Freedom is found there. Peace is found there. Hope is found there. Love – real love, and not conditional love – is found there.
Other religious leaders – missed the mark. Man-made religions are not ever going to be on par with God’s word and instruction. Period. We cannot embrace and claim that we are God’s and are being obedient to Him while embracing the culture of “whatever works for you is okay, too.” They contradict each other.
So choose. Unchanging truth or opinion branded like a cheap imitation of it. The choice is still given by a God who loves us and will not force us to choose what is right. What do you desire more? The approval of God, or the approval of man?
LORD God, I ask that today and every day you would boldly reveal to your followers the areas in our lives where we are sinning and living out of obedience to you. I ask LORD that you would open our eyes to see clearly what you want us to be doing – how you want us to be living. Illuminate your path with the truth of your word and give us the humility and courage to follow it. LORD, we know that it is increasingly tough to serve you and follow you in a nation that was created to bring us this opportunity. Yet LORD, you have always provided for your people. You have seen our situation. You have not abandoned nor do you plan to abandon those who seek you with their whole hearts and strive to live lives of obedience. Strengthen our resolve to follow you – to live committed lives of service for you. LORD, empower us with your Holy Spirit. Fill us with your presence so that we are equipped for whatever our days hold. May we never lose sight of your presence and may we always strive not for independence – where we stray away from you and fall back into our sin nature – but where we remain dependent upon you and your wisdom, your provision, your truth. Daily increase our passion and love for you. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Blessings!